311 Technology Initiatives

311 non-emergency telephone systems have become a viable option for
non-emergency call management. The COPS Office supports the use of 311 systems
as a method of alleviating the cycle of reactive policing and enhancing
community policing efforts. By diverting non-emergency calls from 911 systems,
police officers can have more time to engage in community policing activities
and respond to citizens with true emergencies. 311 systems can provide citizens
with increased access to police and other municipal services, provide avenues
for communication and information sharing with police, and can enhance police
service delivery.

Since 1996, the COPS Office has awarded more than $6 million in funding to
support the implementation, enhancement, and evaluation of 311 non-emergency
systems.

Telecommunications Pilot Program (FY'96)
Baltimore (Maryland) Police
Department was awarded COPS funding to launch the first 311 system in the
country.

311 Technology Grants (FY'99)
COPS funding under this grant program was
awarded to establish 311 systems in the following jurisdictions; Baltimore was
awarded funding to expand its existing 311 system:

Birmingham, Alabama

Dukes County, Massachusetts

Houston, Texas

Los Angeles, California

Miami, Florida

Rochester, New York

311 Technical Assistance for Start-Ups (FY'00)
Police agencies in these
jurisdictions were awarded COPS funding to establish and evaluate 311 systems,
providing guidance for others wishing to learn from their experience:

Austin, Texas

Framingham, Massachusetts

Orange County, Florida

311 for Homeland Security and Crisis Management (FY'03)
Police agencies in
these jurisdictions were awarded COPS funding to establish and evaluate 311
systems that incorporated multiple public service agencies and enhanced homeland
security and/or crisis management plans and practice:

Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina

Columbus, Ohio

Minneapolis MN)

Examples of non-emergency calls (non-life threatening and does not require an
immediate response), include: